{"id":1519,"date":"2010-10-27T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2010-10-27T08:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1519"},"modified":"2014-07-17T13:57:16","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T13:57:16","slug":"halloween-in-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/halloween-in-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"Halloween in Russia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

When I left Russia back in 1997 we didn\u2019t celebrate Halloween. In fact, we didn\u2019t even know about this holiday. But here I am living in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0428\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [the US] where this \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> is huge and of course we\u2019re sucked into the celebratory frenzy. And of course, I\u2019m not the only Russian in the States who is obsessed with the question of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [how to celebrate Halloween]. But do they celebrate Halloween in Russia too?<\/p>\n

Google to the rescue! Except, of course, when you type in \u201cHalloween in Russia\u201d you get a bunch of links to the expats and Russian immigrants celebrating the holiday here, in the US. But lo, here\u2019s \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451<\/span>\u0445\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [an article<\/a> dating back four years] from Pravda.ru titled \u201cHalloween and other borrowed holidays make Russians forget their roots and traditions\u201d<\/span>. The article mentioned that \u201cHalloween in Russia has become quite popular.\u201d<\/p>\n

First of all, what\u2019s the correct way to say Halloween in Russian. Well, as with many other \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [borrowed words], it\u2019s the case of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u044b<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f, <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [the \u00a0way one hears it is the way it\u2019s written down]. And so we have \u00ab<\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb,<\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0425\u0430\u043b\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> and other permutations. The most widely accepted however is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [Halloween].<\/p>\n

What do Russians do \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u044f <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0445 <\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u044f\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [on the All Hallows Eve]? Since it\u2019s a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [borrowed holiday], many of its traditions were adopted by \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u043c\u0438, <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [culturally omnivorous] Russians without any changes. BTW, the description of Russian people as \u201cculturally omnivorous\u201d is taken \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [verbatim] from the same old article.<\/p>\n

Yes, there are carved \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [pumpkins] that are called \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0414\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [jack-o-lanterns] or simply \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0438\u0437 <\/strong>\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [pumpkin lanterns]. As one of the many step-by-step instructions advises, \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u044b <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439, <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [the process of carving a pumpkin for Halloween is not so much difficult as time-consuming and requires caution].<\/p>\n

This, by the way, is a great example of using conjunction \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e, <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [not so much\u2026 as] to bring together similar parts of the sentence (in this case, adjectives \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [difficult], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u043a\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [time-consuming] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [requiring]). The words following \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [not so much] are compared to the ones following \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e\u00bb [<\/strong>here: as] with an assumption that the former carry less importance than the latter.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples from Google search: \u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u044b<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u044f\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043e, <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0443\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [Young mothers don\u2019t lack so much the quantity of sleep, as its quality] or \u00ab\u0420\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0438<\/span><\/strong>\u043c\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0432 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0445\u043d\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0438\u0439, <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0438\u0445 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [Russian needs not so much imported goods or technology, as the ability to create one\u2019s own].<\/p>\n

Back to the holiday\u2026 Of course, Halloween is not possible without \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [masquerade]. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e<\/span>\u043c\u044b <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [Costumes are a must for Halloween]. The choice seems to be much the same as in the US. As many articles point out, \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0449\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e<\/span>\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [women\u2019s costumes are the easiest to find], although you might have to look for them in \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u044b <\/strong>\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u044d\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u043b\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [lingerie stores]. Finding a unique \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0443\u0436\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e<\/span>\u043c\u00bb <\/strong>[man\u2019s costume] is tougher. But turns out there are quite a few options for \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e<\/span>\u043c\u044b <\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0445 <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [costumes for small dogs].<\/p>\n

Once dressed in costumes, Russians seem to spend Halloween pretty much the same way as Americans, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0443\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [partying], but with some cultural differences. Actually, I came across this \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0425\u044d\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0443\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [script for a corporate Halloween party<\/a>] and some of it seemed surreal:<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0424\u0443\u0440\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [The buffet table] is to hold \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u044d\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [whisky and ale]. At some point \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u044b <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442 <\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0443 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0441\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [costumed stuntmen start a brawl on stage], followed by \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043c\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u00bb<\/strong> [demonic costumed striptease]. The script calls for a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0444\u0435\u0439\u0435\u0440\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [splendid fireworks] to end the party.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043e\u0444\u0438\u0446\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [unofficially]. Officially, Russian Orthodox Church takes an affront to the holiday not only because of its \u201cdemonic\u201d celebrations, but because this holiday is simply \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0448\u00bb<\/strong> [not our own] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u0433\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u043c <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f\u043c <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [threatens national traditions and customs].<\/p>\n

What do you think of Halloween? Do you celebrate it? Does your company arrange for a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0444\u0435\u0439\u0435\u0440\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> or at least lets you shoot some sparklers?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

When I left Russia back in 1997 we didn\u2019t celebrate Halloween. In fact, we didn\u2019t even know about this holiday. But here I am living in \u00ab\u0428\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044b\u00bb [the US] where this \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u00bb is huge and of course we\u2019re sucked into the celebratory frenzy. And of course, I\u2019m not the only Russian in the States…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,7827],"tags":[3213,12130,1240,1248],"class_list":["post-1519","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-russian-life","tag-halloween","tag-russian-celebrations","tag-russian-holidays","tag-russian-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t